Individuals often find enjoyment in the challenge of building aesthetic structural designs and/or functional structural models. Frequently, the utility associated with constructing such structures is found in the creative and/or problem solving process required to achieve a desired structural objective. Currently, construction assemblies that exploit magnetic properties to interlink various structural components and thereby form different two and/or three dimensional structures are known and can provide an added dimension of sophistication to the construction process. For example, the magnetic construction toy disclosed in Balanchi U.S. Pat. No. 6,626,727, the modular assemblies disclosed in Vicentielli U.S. Pat. No. 6,566,992, and the magnetic puzzle/toy disclosed in Smith U.S. Pat. No. 5,411,262. In particular, German Patent No. DE 202 02 183 U1 to Kretzschmar describes flat triangles, squares and rectangles used in conjunction with ferromagnetic balls to create a limited range of geometric constructions. The flat shapes disclosed in the Kretzschmar German Patent consist of magnets inserted in the corners of a triangular or square piece, or six magnets in a rectangular plate which can be attached to steel balls to create a limited number of three-dimensional shapes.
A significant shortcoming associated with each of the above-noted magnetic construction assemblies involves the inherently restrictive and at times penalizing design alternatives provided thereby. It is often the case, as noted with particular respect to the German '183 Patent, that these traditional magnetic construction assemblies have only a limited number of component parts, which parts typically have constrained geometries to ensure effective and suitably stable or secure connections. Thus, despite efforts to date, a need remains for a magnetic construction assembly that provides greater construction flexibility and/or design choice.
This and other needs/objectives are addressed by the present invention. Additional advantageous features and functionalities of the present invention will be apparent from the disclosure which follows, particularly when reviewed in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.